Prior arrangements for controlling a wraparound sheath for a cartridge stapler have included harness means for urging the cartridge and sheath against one another (U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,868 to Jairam) and rotatable disks in the sheath sides controlled by spring arms (U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,332 to Olesen). In another proposal the wraparound sheath or front jaw is releasably connected to side pins (U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,215).
None of these proposals have been fully satisfactory in all applications.